prompting a condemnation from Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Workers at the Outaouais Islamic Centre awoke Thursday to discover curse words and derogatory references to Arabs and Allah spray-painted in white.
The vandals painted messages on the front doors, across the building’s side and on two other entrances to the building.
The mosque had also been vandalized just three days earlier when someone smashed the windows of two cars in the parking lot and attempted to set fire to them.
This latest incident prompted Harper to speak out in a French statement Thursday.
“Our government strongly condemns these heinous attacks that have been terrorizing the whole community,” he said.
“Members of the mosque have asked for help in funding infrastructure and security projects and have received funding from our government.”
Mosque Secretary General Amadou Thiam said the mosque has turned over security video to police.
Gatineau police said they believe a lone man in his 20s caught on camera in the latest incident was also responsible for the earlier vandalism.
Police said it was the fourth incident in the last six months.
Jewish Stars of David were also spray-painted on the walls. Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, also condemned the attacks. “We unequivocally condemn all acts of vandalism committed against any place of worship,” Fogel said in a statement.
Mosque member Walid Ali said he didn’t think the incident was a hate crime. “Maybe someone was drunk or something, I don’t think he deeply means it,” said Ali. “I’ve been here more than three years and this has never happened,” he said.
